A Christmas Surprise

With the battle against Krampus over, the Rangers returned to the Dino Zoo and found Sasha waiting for them in the Cafe. Once she was sure that her friends were safe, and her sister was coming home, she had decided to try and finish the decorating before the party began.

"I am sooo sorry!" Adelaide wailed, engulfing her sister in a hug.

Sasha chuckled and hugged Adelaide back just as tight. "I'm just glad you're alright," she said, stroking her hair. "I always knew you were a handful, but seeing you like that..." she shivered.

Jessie chuckled and approached his sister's. "I'm glad I weren't here to witness it," he admitted. "Knowing what your Christmas spirit is enough without seeing it."

Adelaide pulled away and pouted. "Meanies!" she whined. "I'm telling Mum and Dad you're being cruel to me. Where are they, anyway?"

"At a hotel," Jessie said. "I'll call Caleb and tell him we're clear here."

"What did you tell them in order to get away?" Sasha asked, curiously.

Jessie shook his head. "Nothing to cause concern," he said. "Besides, Mum wanted to freshen up before she came here."

Sasha nodded and Adelaide bounced away as Ivan approached.

"Lady Sasha," the Knight said, bowing at the waist and, taking Sasha's hand, brushed his lips against her knuckles. "May we speak? Privately."

Adelaide stopped and turned back to face her sister.

Sasha nodded and followed Ivan from the cafe.

Chewing her bottom lip, Adelaide started after them. She stopped as Jessie caught her arm and wheeled her around.

"Privately means alone," said Jessie.

"But..." Adelaide whined.

Jessie shook his head and pulled Adelaide back into the cafe. He pulled her up the front bar and sat her on a stool beside James and Philip. "Stay!" he said, pulling out his phone. "I'm going to call Caleb."

Adelaide pouted as Jessie walked away.

"What's going on?" James asked.

"Ivan's talking to Sasha and I want to know what about," said Adelaide, eyeing the door at the far end of the cafe. She glanced back at Jessie. He was talking on the phone but kept sneaking glances at her, probably to make sure that she was still there.

James chuckled. "If he had wanted you to know the reasons behind this chat he wouldn't have asked her to go elsewhere," he said.

"Last time they 'talked', he left," Adelaide argued. "I just want to be sure that she -"

CRACK!

Adelaide, James, and Philip looked around to see Chase holding half a cracker.

"Ooh! ME NEXT!" Adelaide squealed, throwing herself off the stool and running over to Chase.

James shook his head as he watched Chase hand Adelaide a second cracker.

CRACK!

Adelaide giggled as a party hat slipped out the cracker, along with a slip of paper and a toy. She opened the paper hat and pulled it down to her ears.

Chase did the same with the first cracker's hat.

"Oi, they're for tomorrow," Shelby scolded. She took the box of crackers and hid them somewhere in the kitchen.

"Hey, no cookies either," Riley said, quickly grabbing the plate of Christmas cookies as Adelaide eyed them.

Adelaide pouted. "But..." she whined.

"It's not Christmas yet, Ade," said Shelby, shaking her head.

"It's Christmas Eve!"

Shelby walked away, trailing a string of silver tinsel behind her. "Come help finish the tree," she said. "You can burn off that hyperness."

Adjusting her paper hat, Adelaide run after Shelby and grabbed a ball of red tinsel. She unwound it and tossed it over Tyler's shoulders.

"Hey!" Tyler cried in alarm. He grabbed one side of the tinsel and threw it back at Adelaide.

Adelaide giggled.

"How did she get so hyperactive?" James asked, curiously.

"It's Adelaide," said Jessie, re-joining him and Philip. "She doesn't exactly need a lot of help. Plus, it's Christmas. She gets hyper of the atmosphere alone."

James nodded and looked up as Adelaide giggled again. He chuckled as he watched her, Shelby, and Tyler dress the tree in three different coloured tinsel strands.

"Anyone seen the star?" Chase asked, checking a nearby box.

Koda shook his head.

"There is a box missing," said Riley, looking around.

"It's in the base," said Kendall.

"I'LL GET IT!" Adelaide squealed, running from the room.

Jessie stood, abruptly. "No, Adelaide, wait!" he called, following her.

~X~

Sasha braced herself against the table. Her chat with Ivan had taken her by surprise, and left her speechless.

"Lady Sasha..." Ivan said, sounding worried. When he had asked her to talk, he hadn't expected this. He was acutely aware that his topic of choice would have brought some surprise, but not like this. He was sure she'd be happy.

Sasha blinked and looked back at Ivan. "Sorry, I'm just trying to wrap my head around this," she said. "I thought you wanted to go home?"

"I did," Ivan said. "But when I got there, I realised what a terrible mistake I had made. I love my family, Lady Sasha; there is no doubt about that. But, I couldn't stop thinking about what I had left behind. My time here, with you, it stayed with me. I tried to forget you, I'll admit, but no matter how hard I tried, you stayed with me."

"What of your wife?" Sasha asked.

Ivan sighed. "Lady Sybil knew something was wrong the second I returned," he said. "I couldn't tell her the truth, you can imagine."

Sasha cracked a small smile. If Ivan had tried to tell his wife the truth about his adventures, she'd have thought him crazy.

"Indeed," Ivan nodded. Although Sasha hadn't spoken, her smile said enough. "Sybil has always understood me," he continued. "She knew that while I loved her, and our children, my heart belonged elsewhere. She didn't ask questions."

"Why did you wait so long to come back?" Sasha asked.

"I had no way of contacting Keeper," Ivan admitted. "I was aware that he had to be around, somewhere, but without my Dino Com or energem, I had no connection to him. I retraced my steps to where I first fought Fury, maybe I was hoping it would help, but alas... then, finally, after many months, Keeper found me. I knew it was an opportunity I couldn't pass over. The chance to see you again..."

Ivan reached for Sasha, taking her hands in his.

"The choice is yours, M'lady..." said Ivan.

Sasha met his gaze and stepped closer, closing the gap between them and pressing her lips against his.

"Eeek!"

Sasha and Ivan parted abruptly.

"Adelaide," Sasha sighed, spying her sister. The youngster was bouncing excitedly, and the gleam in her eye told Sasha to be wary. "Wait, you don't -"

"THIS IS AMAZING!" Adelaide squealed. She turned tail and the doors behind her opened again. "GUYS! YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS!"

"Oh...great!" Sasha groaned as Adelaide disappeared

The End.